NORFOLK, VA (WTKR)- As the regular season winds down, Norfolk State took a big step towards a MEAC regular season championship Monday night at Echols Hall.
Jamarii Thomas scored 28 points as the Spartans topped North Carolina Central, 80-74, Monday night. The green and gold avenged a 60-58 loss to the Eagles from last month in Durham.
NSU struggled to find its rhythm in the first half, connecting on just five field goals, but only trailed at halftime by four, 30-26. The Spartans were aided by 15 successful free throw attempts to keep the deficit from getting out of hand.
Thomas's lay-up with 18:08 to play gave Norfolk State its first lead of the game as Robert Jones saw his team turn things around from the floor. The second half would see the Spartans knock down shots at a clip of 70 percent and swell their lead to as many as nine points. North Carolina Central erased the NSU advantage as a Fred Cleveland Jr. triple tied the game at 74 with 59 seconds left on the clock, but Kuluel Mading's lay-up with 38 seconds remaining put the green and gold ahead for good.
The junior guard Thomas added six rebounds and five assists to his stat line. Allen Betrand added 16 points, while Mading scored 13 points.
The victory improves Norfolk State's record to 17-9, 7-2 in MEAC play. The Spartans hold a two game lead for the top spot in the conference with five contests remaining in the regular season.
